Oregon State University

Why don't animals that spend most of their time naked and outdoors get sunburned? Fur, if they have it, would provide some shade. But what about toads, say, or fish that swim in shallow water? (Water absorbs some ultraviolet light, but a lot of sunburn-capable radiation travels at least a few feet beneath the surface.) New research published in the journal eLife by scientists from Oregon State University finds that many fish, amphibians, reptiles and birds can naturally produce a compound called gadusol, which provides protection from burning rays. Until now, scientists thought that animals got gadusol only from consuming certain algae and bacteria. "The ability to make...

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